The announcement by the Congress party that it will give 40 per cent of the total election tickets to women has sparked a political war of words from the ruling BJP and opposition BSP which is led by Mayawati. Accusing the Congress of ‘chunavi natak’ (political drama), Mayawati said that the Congress remembers Dalit and women only at the time of election.

“When Congress is in power and they have good days, they do not remember Dalits, backwards and women etc but now when their bad days are not going away, they have remembered women in UP like Dalits in Punjab. The announcement of giving 40 per cent of tickets to women is pure election drama,” said Mayawati.

She further added, “If the concern of the Congress towards women was so just and sincere, then why did they not pass the law to give 33 per cent reservation to women when they were in power at Centre and in Legislative Assemblies? The nature of Congress is ‘to say something and do something’ which raises a question mark on their intention and policy.”

She further said that women constitute around half a population in Uttar Pradesh and the country and sincere efforts are required not only for their welfare but also for their safety and security in which the Congress and the BJP both have failed.

On the other hand, the BJP also hit out at the Congress saying that Priyanka Gandhi kept silent when she was asked about a Congress leader’s son who is accused of rape.

“The irony: Priyanka Vadra was speaking on women empowerment when she was asked the question. Press freedom?” said Amit Malviya.

He further added, “It is sad that while Gandhis pontificate on women empowerment, not a day passes in Rajasthan, a Congress-ruled State, when a woman, often a Dalit, is not raped or molested.”

Priyanka Gandhi today formally launched the Congress party’s ‘Ladki Hun, Lad Sakti Hun’ campaign while announcing the reservation in party tickets. Uttar Pradesh will go to polls early next year.